Entwined
by AShauni21
Summary: When even Yaone's loyalty and love can't save Kougaiji she's forced to turn to the one's she calls enemies for help. But with a brainwashed Prince on the loose can the Sanzo party even hope to stop him, and do they even want to? SanzoxYaone ON HIATUS
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** Well I do have Sanzo bound and gagged in my closet, but I don't own him or any of the other characters, they belong to Kazuya Minekura.

**_Authoress' Notes:_** Hello everyone. Thank nimblnymph, great author that she is, who has issued a challenge an here is my answer. The story takes place toward the end of volume 2 of the RELOAD manga and features **SPOILERS** up until and past that point. Now I feel a little introduction is in order. This takes up right from a spot in the manga and if you have read it, this prologue chapter follows the same storyline. Now if you haven't read it yet drop me a line and I will explain to you what is going on. However I feel the prologue does a pretty good job of that. This is a SanzoxYaone fic and from the first chapter on will be all my imagination. You have been duly warned, so without further ado, I present to you...

**Entwined**

_**Prologue**_

Heaven, a calm and peaceful landscape of only the most beautiful flowers, greenest grass, and brilliant sunshine. Utterly beautiful and ...utterly boring.

A pond of crystal clear water sat blanketed by lily pads, but it beauty masks it's true purpose, a window to the lower world. The lives of men, women, and children are played out for every higher being to watch, however only one immortal actually watches the lower world, the only one who would find the lives of mortal beings any entertainment. She stands by another figure, this one a child with dull, lifeless eyes who sits immobile on a throne overlooking the body of water.

"Things have certainly turned out to be interesting, haven't they Nataku? Though you have to admit those four were never boring." Kanzeon leaned down and threw an arm around the comatose former War Prince.

"Who knows maybe they'll be able to finish what you could not?" Her voice turned sad and almost curious. "Maybe they'll even be able to rescue you?"

The Merciful Goddess plucked a stray petal from the boys hair and threw it into the pond.

* * *

"Doku, are you sure Lord Kougaiji came this way?" Yaone asked.

"I'm sure. The Sanzo party was spotted on a boat crossing the river. Kou shouldn't be too far behind." Doku said, worry showing through his strong features.

"I hope you're right Doku, for Lord Kougaiji's sake as well as theirs." Yaone matched her stride to her friend's.

The past days had been spent tracking their Prince. Whatever had warped his mind Yaone had no doubt that it could be reversed, that the Prince would come to his senses. However in the mean time it was her duty to prevent him from doing something that he would regret. She owed Kougaiji that at least.

"YOU PRETENTIOUS DICK! YOU JUST HAD TO SHOW OFF!"

"What in the world?" Yaone asked to no one in particular as the scream of obsenities echoed through the forest.

Doku sighed, "If I'm not badly mistaken, that was my worthless little brother's foul mouth."

"YOU'RE TOO DAM CLOSE KAPPA! MOVE YOUR ASS!"

"And that sounds like... Sanzo..." Yaone paused to listen "It's coming from the river, This way." She took the lead following the sound of the flowing water and still flowing obscenities. They reached a cliff overlooking the river, both peered over into the water. Doku started to giggle.

"It looks like we were right, it is Sanzo and his party." Yaone said, trying to hold in a chuckle of her own. The site of the blonde monk and the red head clinging to an old tree trunk together as the water flowed by, and that they obviously were engaged in a kicking match under the water's surface, was almost too much.

"Hello there. Long time, no see." Hakkai said, adjusting his death grip on the boulder keeping him from being pulled downstream.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Doku asked when he was sure he wouldn't bust out laughing.

"His Holiness here decided to show off and knock us off course and then demons go and capsize our boat." Gojyo said as he tried to kick the monk underneath the water.

"Eat shit and die kappa. It's not my fault we were attacked!" Sanzo snarled as his knee came this close to connecting to a very..uhh.. sensitive spot under the water's surface.

"Hey asshole, watch the jewels!" Gojyo screeched in a falsetto voice.

Yaone blatantly ignored the two toddlers bickering and turned her attention to Hakkai."This may seem a bit abrupt but have you seen Lord Kougaiji?"

"No we haven't." Hakkai answered. His voice was still pleasant but a little strained.

"Does his royal ass need saving again?" Sanzo said ceasing the kicking match for the moment and sending Gojyo a glare promising death when he could get to his gun.

"Well, it seems they aren't going to be any help Yaone. Lets go." Doku said.

"Hey, you bastard! A little help here." Gojyo screamed.

"Didn't I ever teach you to ask nicely?" Doku sighed as he turned exasperated eyes to Yaone. "What do you think?"

"Like you said, Lord Kougaiji is more that likely to follow them. Besides not all of them are without manners." the apothecary said as she glimpsed Hakkai struggling to hang on to the boulder that had become his lifeline.

* * *

Goku pulled himself and Kon out of the water. It was sheer luck that he was able to get nyoi-bo into a soft enough piece of rock to stick but strong enough to stop their forward momentum. The boy was shivering and Goku wondered if it was from the cold temperatures of the water or anticipation of getting to see his family again.

"Are your friends going to be ok?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, they'll prolly be fine." Goku answered. " Hey do you think I can wait at your place for them?"

"Yup, my mom and sister will be happy to see me after so long. I'm sure they'd welcome you seeing as you brought me home." Kon answered enthusiastically. "This way onii-chan."

"...Umm ok..." the boy took the lead as Goku followed. He was a little shocked at getting called big brother, but after a little thinking he decided he liked the feeling of someone looking up to him that way.

After a few moments of walking they came upon a small village that had obviously been raided. Windows had been broken, doors pulled off the hinges and laying in the middle of the street, broken glass littered the ground.

"...No..." the boy whispered as he took off down a side street.

"Kon!" Goku followed right in the boy's heels. Kon threw open a door to a small house. Not too big, not too small. It happened to be one of the few houses that still had a door however all the windows were broken and inside the furniture was turned over and everything else ransacked.

"MOM, RIN!" Kon's frantic screams echoed eerily through the empty house. "Where are you? I'm back, it's me Kon."

"Kon." Goku called the boys name softly hoping to calm him down, though he knew it wouldn't help much.

"Oni-chan, I can't find them. They're gone...What if they're dead? ...What if demons killed them?..."

"Chill out!" Goku grabbed the boy, Kon was starting to go into hysterics and Goku knew he had to somehow calm the boy down. "Listen, the town is a mess and I'm betting it was cuz' of demons. But there are no bodies so they're prolly not dead."

"Do you really think so?" a glimmer of hope shined in the boys eyes.

"Yup, so lets go find 'em and show 'em you're ok. Your mom and sister are prolly still pretty worried." Goku gave the boy a reassuring smile and placed his hand on the boys head, it was the same gesture Sanzo usually used to calm him down, and Goku was hoping it would work on Kon.

* * *

The fire was warm and they were soaked to the bone and freezing. Their shirts, and in Sanzo's case robes and leather were hanging over the fire to dry.

Sanzo almost had to bite his tongue to keep from shivering. The river demons did a good job of capsizing their boat and sending them into the murky depths and Goku managed to separate himself from the group. And to top it all off, his cigarettes were soggy and useless. Sanzo hated rivers now Gojyo and Hakkai knew why.

"Shit I'm freezing." Gojyo muttered.

"Thank you so much for rescuing us." Hakkai said with that ever pleasant smile on his face.

"The almighty Sanzo party as a capsized trio. You guys suck." Dokugakuji said still holding in a snicker.

"Kiss my ass." Gojyo said in between his sniffles. He felt a cold coming on, goddam it he hated being sick.

"You seemed to be an awfully big hurry earlier, did something happen to Kougaiji?" Hakkai asked.

"Not really, we just got separated that's all." Yaone said. The memories of how Kougaiji was before he left ran through her head. She lied, something she usually didn't like to do. She could feela gaze scrutinizing every move she made. Yaone turned to meetSanzo's violet starehead on and for a moment their eyes locked onto one another. He knew she was lying, she really was a horrible liar but she would not let that monk intimidate her into telling the truth.

'Well he's still after Sanzo's scripture right? He'll find us eventually." Gojyo had grabbed the scripture in question and evidently that was important enough for Sanzo to turn his glare onto the red head.

"Hands off the merchandise kappa." Sanzo said.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm drying it for you _your Holiness_."

"Guys if you do see Kou, drop the scripture and run." Doku said.

"Yeah right, like we're gonna make it that easy for you."Gojyo answered.

"He doesn't mean it like that." Yaone snapped, shecould tell the last few days had taken their toll on her. The sheer emotion in her voice surprised even her. It didn't sound like her at all, it sounded like a woman on the verge of hysterics.

"Not like...that." She whispered just loud enough to be heard. Reigning in all the exhaustion and frustration that had made its way to the surface. She didn't like losing her composure especially in front of the enemy.

"Then how do you mean it?" Sanzo's emotionlessvoice washed over her and brought her gaze back to his. Again those violet eyes bore into her as if he could tell every emotion that she was feeling, every thought going through her mind.

"Wait, where's Goku?" Doku asked with apprehension in his voice.

"Oh our group is separated as well." Hakkai said.

Yaone turned to Dokugakuji. "This is bad Doku."

"If the two of them were to meet up and fight one-on-one..." Dokugakuji wondered out loud. He remembered all too well the day Goku rampaged and beat the hell out of everyone, himself included. If Goku and Kougaiji were to meet and fight it would be the same thing all over again, only this time the roles would be reversed. Kougaiji would be the killing machine. This was the exact situation that they were trying to avoid.

"Incase you forgot, we're enemies. If they fight, they fight. Besides the monkey can take care of himself." Gojyo said casually pushing his damp hair away from his face..

Hakkai's green gaze settled on the two demons. Their down cast eyes and strange behavior belied that _something _was wrong."What happened to Kougaiji? More importantly, what happened to you two?" He asked.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the five of them. They might not have reallybeen friends but the two groups had never felt uncomfortable around each other so this was something new for them all.

Yaone's eyes met Hakkai's and suddenly she couldn't hold it in anymore. She had lost so much, she didn't know what she would do if she lost Kougaiji and Lirin. If Kougaiji were to find Goku before she found the prince, all hell was gonna break loose. If they went to find Goku and they ran into Kougaiji on the way then what would really be the harm in letting them know what to expect?

"We..."

"I think that is quite enough." A demon emerged form the trees dressed in a floor length black leather coat connected by chains across his bare chest, and leather pants. " Do you really intend to betray us?"

* * *

"Hurry ni-chan. The hill is right over there. The whole village came here last year during a bad storm." Kon was excited and even Goku was having a hard time keeping up with the exuberant boy.

"Cool, is there a hiding place around here?" Goku asked.

"Yeah there is a cave right over here." Kon took off to a small cave opening. "Is anyone here? Mom. Rin. Its me Kon."

A small light shined from deep within the cave. "Kon, Is that really you?"

"Uncle!" Kon ran towards that light faster than Goku thought he had ever seen someone run before. Goku watched the scene with a big shit-eating smile on his face. He was happy that Kon and his family were back together and everyone seemed to be ok. Things rarely ever turned out for the best when demons attack a small village like Kon's and Goku had seen way too many towns reduced to ashes and dead bodies laying out in the street.

"Mom this is Goku. He saved me and brought me back." The boy introduced Goku even though he was still wrapped tightly in his mother's embrace.

The older woman turned a warm, friendly smile on Goku. "Thank you so much."

Goku made a gesture with his hand dismissing the woman's thanks. "Ahh...it was nothing rea..."

"He well look at what I found guys. The whole entire town looks to be down there." A group of demons appeared at the entrance to the cave. The leader quickly rushed the tunnel rushed the entrance however Goku met him there and pushed out to the cave.

"Everyone, Get back now!" Goku yelled as he blocked an over head attack. "Kon take everyone back as far into the cave as you can."

"Right Ni-chan." He nodded his head and quickly led everyone to the very back of the cave.

Their were a lot of them this time and Goku knew he couldn't keep all those deomons at bay and protect the villagers. So he smirked a smirk Gojyo would be proud of and he used his nyoi-bo to cause a mini rock slide and seal the entrance to the cave.

"Hey that brat blocked the entrance." A nameless demon called from the horde.

"You're gonna regret messin' with us kid."

"Alright assholes, you wanna kill me? Go ahead and try. But you're not laying one finger on those people."

* * *

"I guess you're not as loyal to your Prince as you claim. Huh Dokugakuji, Yaone."

"What are you doing here Zakura?" Dokugaiji demanded.

"My the three of them seem to know each other." Hakkai observed.

"I don't recognize Mr. Dramaqueen but if the three of you are gonna have a lovers tiff can you do it somewhere else?" Gojyo added his valuable two cents.

"You're right. This is no time to be squabbling with them when you're the reason I'm here in the first place. Forgive me for ignoring you." The demon known as Zakura turned to the hapless trio and locked eyes. "But its time to kill you now."

"NO everyone don't look into his eyes!" Yaone warned but just a little too late as the scenery started to change before them. The soft grass under their feet turned into the hard crunch of bones and the sky turned dark.

"What the fuck?" Gojyo asked as he kicked a skull onto another pile of bones.

Hakkai looked around and then turned to his friend. "My sentiments exactly Gojyo."

Sanzo's index finger fell into place naturally around the trigger of his gun."Fuck, you know these cliched demon attacks are really starting to grate on my nerves."

"Cliche!" Zakura screamed enraged at the insult.

"Yeah you think that a bunch of bones are gonna scare us? And what about that last comment '_it's time to kill you now_'." Gojyo said using his best helium inspired voice. "Have some imagination man."

The demons mouth curled into an amused sneer. "Oh I'll show you imagination."

* * *

"Whew, that was kinda close." Goku wiped his brow as he leaned on nyoi-bo for support and to catch his breath. The swarm of demons didn't stop and finally he had to collapse part of a cliff that had been used as a stage for the skirmish to get rid of everyone in one fell swoop. He was tired and his poor stomach was growling.

"Man I am so hungry." His stomach answered him with a renewed attack of the grumblies.

What he missed was the tall imposing shadow of a certain demon prince.

_**To be comtinued...**_

**A/N:** Yes I do know this chapter is as boring to everyone as Heaven was to Konzen, but I felt I needed to explain what happened in volume 2 for everyone who has only seen the anime. To tell you the truth this chapter was the hardest for me to write because I basically had to follow a script and I feel like such a hack for doing it. However it needed to be done to move the plot into motion. I already have chapter 1 almost done and that is all my own, people. (My muse was soo happy she could actually write!)


	2. Keep your friends close

**_Authoress Notes: _**I just realized that I was in such a hurry to get the prologue out that I misspelled Zakuro's name. I really am a dunce. Anyways thank you to my reviewers and I hope you enjoy this little brain child of mine.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Saiyuki. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura.

_**Chapter one**_

_**Keep Your Friends Close...**_

_Blood..._

Kougaiji could feel the blood pounding through his veins. Age old primitive instincts calling for the blood of his opponent, wet and warm on his claws. Even as he lifted the limp body of the golden eyed boy off the ground, he could feel the boys pulse, hear the strong heartbeat. He wanted to tear that heart right from the chest. Feel it beat its last beat in his hand. Instead he shoved the boy deeply into the rock of a nearby cliff.

_No, Genjyo Sanzo. His Blood, no one else._

However some semblance of reason, of civility pushed through his instincts. He needed to get the scripture, that was his mission. Genjyo Sanzo and the Maten Scripture. He had to remain detached, he couldn't listen to the boys blood flowing or his baser instincts would take over. Kougaiji held the boy against the cliff in a hollow that was made by the impact of his body, as if the cliff tried to mold itself around him.

"Where is Genjyo Sanzo?" The quiet monotone of someone who no longer possessed the ability to feel. It was creepy for Goku to hear that kind of voice come from Kougaiji's mouth. To see those cold lifeless eyes coming from someone who had always fought with so much fire. Something had happened because this wasn't the Kougaiji he knew.

"What...is the ...matter with you?" The words came out in a wet voice as blood seeped through his lips.

Kougaiji merely pushed him deeper into the rock and then threw him back over his shoulder into the forest.

"If you don't know where Genjyo Sanzo is, then I'm wasting my time." That cold emotionless voice again. It was really starting piss Goku off.

_Where are they?_ Goku thought in his mind as he conjured up an image of his comrades in his minds eye._ Why aren't they here?_

It was then something in Goku clicked. He was actually waiting for them to save him. That was bullshit, it was lame and Sanzo would kick his ass for waiting to be rescued. Besides he promised himself he would never lose again, not after that freak Kami-sama. He didn't remember getting up or feeling the pain that action must have caused. But he did feel the satisfaction at kicking Kougaiji and sending his ass skidding to the forest floor.

"Forget Sanzo asswipe. You gotta get through me first."

* * *

"Now Genjyo Sanzo, how do you intend to shoot me when your gun is melted?" Zakuro said as he watched the violet eyes of the monk widen slightly as his gun melted through his fingers.

"Shit..." Sanzo muttered under his breath. He knew the minute they were pulled into this illusion that they were dealing with some pretty powerful magic. An illusion is only an illusion if you let it be. But somehow this pansy ass was talking directly to their subconscious and no matter how many times Sanzo told himself his gun was fine, his mind just wasn't getting the message. And the fact that his own mind wasn't listening to him just pissed him off more than he already was.

"Oh my, now look at all those snakes. Be careful, they bite." Zakuro sneered as a nest of snakes erupted from the ground beneath them. Sanzo could feel the smooth scales over strong muscles as the reptiles started slithering their way up his body. It took every ounce of discipline he possessed not to try and throw the snakes off.

"That's it! Get them off, get them the fuck off!" Gojyo tried to throw of the snakes, but they just kept coming. Slithering up his bare chest and twining in his hair.

"Gojyo, calm down. Listen, he's using a type of hypnosis." Hakkai, ever the voice of reason tried in vain to calm down his best friend. But to tell the honest truth Hakkai himself was having a hard time telling his mind that there were no snakes. He could _feel_ the scales sliding over his skin.

"Oh my, I was mistaken. Those aren't snakes, they're human hands." Zakuro let loose a maniacal laugh as hands replaced the snakes.

"This is a FUCKING illusion?" Gojyo asked Hakkai as the hands began to pull him towards the ground. Red hair splayed across the bones and uneven ground as the half demon's face was slammed into the ground.

* * *

Yaone and Dokugakuji stood watching the spectacle that was the now defenseless Sanzo party. All three men were trapped in the illusionary world that Zakuro had created.

"What the hell is going on?" Doku asked, his voice low and his eyes wide. He watched his little brother bucking on the ground as if trying to lift up but being held down by something.

"This is Zakuro's ability. He talks directly to the consciousness and sends his victims into a world of his creation." Yaone said with more than a hint of disgust and hostility in her voice. Her back ramrod straight and her fists clenched at her sides.

"So everything that is happening is a harmless illusion?"

"No, its not just a harmless illusion. Its mind over matter Doku, if the mind believes that you die, then your physical body dies as well." Yaone answered raising her eyes to meet those of her friend. The look in her eyes held thinly veiled hatred for Zakuro.

Dokugakuji turned to the purple haired demon."Zakuro. What are you doing? Kou is the one assigned to kill them. You were just supposed to grab the sutra."

"You are so naive. Lets just say that Lady Koushu wanted to make sure the job got done. This is why you couldn't protect your own lord. You really are useless Dokugakuji." Zakuro sneered.

"You son of a bitch." Dokugakuji growled.

"Wait. I seem to remember that this one here is your younger brother, right?" Black leather flowed around the demon as he approached Gojyo.

"Don't..." Doku shook with uncontrolled anger, his fists clenched and swearing in his mind that Zakuro would pay.

Zakuro leaned down so close to Gojyo's ear that his breath blew a few arrant red strands of hair around. "Sha Gojyo. Take a look at your arm. My that's quite an inferno."

* * *

"AHHHHH..." Gojyo let out a bloodcurdling scream as the fire eruptedalong his right hand. The flames licked his long hair as pain spread up his arm. The skin on his hand began to bubble and a physical pain the likes that the red head had never felt erupted along with the flames.

The human hands that had been holding them down seemed to disappear. As ifon cue as the half breed's scream carried through the dead space of the dimension.

"Gojyo! Gojyo, what's wrong?" Hakkai turned towards his friend. He saw the red head look with wide and pain filled eyes at his right arm.

"You idiot." Sanzo swore under his breath. He watched the kappa writhe in anguish as he tried to extinguish the fire.

* * *

"Gojyo..." Doku watched in horror as his younger brother's cries echoed through the forest. The sound of it turned the demons blood cold. He and Gojyo had their issues but this...

There had to be a way to help. He would not just stand there and watch his brother die before his eyes. He had already been put in that position once before and made a decision then that was much harder than the one he had to make now. His loyalty and friendship belonged to Kou. He was not loyal to that bitch Koushu and her pets.

_If that dam cross-dresser talks directly to the consciousness then... _That was it! Without hesitation Dokugakuji landed a hard punch directly to his brother's gut.Gojyo fell limply into his brothers arms.

"You...What did you do!" Zakuro turned a killer glare towards Dokugakuji. The demon gently laid his brother's dead weight on the ground.

"Doku..." Yaone came immediately to her comrades side and checked Gojyo's pulse. " Well now we know how to get them out." The healer took a step forward.

"Don't even try it. Your Lord might be alive and well at the moment, but you have no idea about his little sister. If you interfere I'll make sure that she suffers."

"You wouldn't dare." Yaone practically snarled and Doku looked at the healer to make sure that the sound actually came from her. "Her mother would skin you alive if you touch that girl. You would never be allowed to harm her." Yaone knew that she was right, if for all the wrong reasons. Gyokumen Koushu needed Lirin for something having to do with the revival. Zakuro would never be allowed to touch that girl if only for that reason.

"I don't have to touch the precocious little girl to harm her. She's needed physically not mentally." Zakuro smirked as he watched the healer slowly back down. He knew they cared for the girl, as long as he had that threat to hang over their heads he was free to do what he wanted to the remaining Sanzo party.

* * *

"Gojyo?" The kappa had disappeared before their eyes and Hakkai had begun to put the pieces together. "I see, unconsciousness is a way out."

"And exactly what good will that knowledge do you?" Zakuro sneered.

"He's right. We can't just pass out. This is still a fight." Sanzo squared his shoulders and mentally prepared himself for what might be coming next. He was really getting tired of this game shit. And god dammit he needed cigarette.

'Don't expect us to be as moronic as that cockroach. We won't fall for your yammering so easily." Sanzo said.

"Yes, we are the more intelligent ones of the group." Hakkai let out a laugh and put his usual smile back on his face.

"Is that so? Well you being the intelligent ones that you are then you must know about the kaiba." He paused, hand gesturing theatrically when he continued. " You see the kaiba is the part of the brain that deals with short term memory. I can call to it and pull out those memories. The more intelligent the human, the more intense the memories."

"We had hard fried rice for dinner last night." Sanzo dead panned.

"Yes but the soup that came with it was simply delicious." Hakkai chimed in.

"I've had better."

"Yes but given the state of the village..."

"How about today? You do remember drowning in the river." The minute the words left the Zakuro's lips Sanzo and Hakkai found themselves in that damn river once again.

_Shit..._ Sanzo mentally kicked himself. He should've been ready for this. He hated rivers so of course it had to be the goddam river. He could feel his lungs starting to burn from lack of oxygen already, the icy water seeping into his nostrils and into his lungs. Vaguely he could hear Hakkai saying something and then a strangled gurgling as the green eyed man thrashed. He couldn't stop himself as he turned and screamed the mans name.

"Hakkai!" That was a huge mistake, even more water made its way to his lungs, stealing what precious little air he had left.

"Feel the icy water smothering you. Feel the darkness surround you. Slip into the nothingness of the abyss. Feel only the water and see only the darkness..." Zakuro said smugly and almost giddily with his impending victory over the Sanzo party.

_Darkness... _Sanzo could feel the panic, it crept up on him as his night mares did from time to time. Visions of another time he was in a river, of another time when darkness was all that he could see and feel. Then as he had at that time he saw the person who saved his life, and his pure white light.

_That's right, there was no darkness. I saw only light. _The panic left him as suddenly as it had come. The blonde monk lifted out of the water that had never been there. Rivulets running down his bare chest. The memory of his Master and the light that he had shown to him that fateful day that a blonde child was pulled from a river and saved from certain death, was fresh in his mind.

"Wha... what do you think you're doing?" Zakuro sputtered as he watched the monk pick up his previously melted gun. " I ..I told you that was melted...You can't do that!"

"The guns fine." Sanzo took aim at the now backpedaling demon.

"Then it's not melted...it's jammed." Zakuro scrambled as the gun was leveled at his chest. "There's no way you can shoot me."

"Shut the fuck up. Now listen to me asshole, I said the gun was fine."

The gunshot shattered the realm that Zakuro had created as he was thrown into the tree behind him by the impact of the bullet. He clutched his left arm where the bullet had grazed him.

"Reality is a bitch, isn't it?" Sanzo asked as the others rose behind him.

"You actually think you've won? This is only the beginning, Genjyo Sanzo!" The demon asked as he pulled his cloak off and threw it at the group, shielding his escape. The only sounds for a few moments were his maniacal cackling that sounded suspiciously like 'Hoo hahahaha'.

"Well, that was a fucking cheap exit." Gojyo said, having recovered from his ordeal.

"Cheap but effective." Hakkia said, grabbing his shirt and throwing it quickly around his shoulders. It was still damp but given their recent encounter he thought it best to be on their way. Evidently Sanzo felt that way too because he was already in his robes.

"And who puts 'Hoo' in their evil laugh? Cliche cross-dressing, freak can't even get his evil laugh right."Gojyo said as he began to put his shirt and jacket back on.

"That was a waste of my fucking time." Sanzo all but growled. He was not in a good mood. Something wasn't right and he was on edge...and it had something to do with Goku. Every instinct he had was screaming that the brat had gotten himself in trouble. And god dammit he needed a cigarette!

"Brainwashing and hypnotism...is it really that easy to get out of?" Dokugakuji asked almost to himself.

"What are you mumbling about?" Gojyo asked.

"Lord Kougaiji. He's been... brainwashed." Yaone answered.

"Brainwashed?" Gojyo asked.

"He's nothing but a puppet now. A killing machine." Doku reluctantly admitted.

"He has no emotions..." Yaone took deep breath, her fists clenched at her side.

"Huh, so that's why you felt the need to warn us? Thanks but no thanks. We're not that pathetic." Sanzo said, crushing his useless, soggy pack of cigarettes.

Doku grabbed Sanzo by the front of his robes. "Don't get me wrong asswhole. I'm not worried about you! I just know you wouldn't want to win like that...nor would Kou."

"I kill whoever's in my way. That includes your boss. And I doubt he would want sympathy or surrender." Sanzo slapped Doku's hand away. This conversation was really starting to get on his nerves. Kougaiji wasn't his problem.

"See, our boss has always been a killing machine." Gojyo said motioning towards Sanzo.

"And look who's in my way." Sanzo shot off a bullet that was only an inch from Gojyo's head and ended up taking a few strands of red hair off.

"THAT NEARLY HIT ME YOU SHITTY EXCUSE FOR A MONK! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SHOOTING AT ME?" Gojyo yelled.

"Well if you weren't always in my way." Sanzo said, inspecting his gun.

"You're right Sanzo." Yaone's quiet voice seemed to calm everything around her as the boys went quiet. She lifted her eyes to Sanzo and the others. She held her head tall, she had faith in her lord. He would come back to them, back to her. And Sanzo was right, Kougaiji would not want surrender.

"Fine, whatever. We need to go." Sanzo shrugged his shoulders in a way that clearly stated he didn't care and as far as he was concerned this conversation was over.

"Ahh is the monk missing his monkey already." Gojyo asked.

"Eat shit and die kappa." Sanzo growled.

"Gojyo, I'd watch out if I were you. He might not miss you next time." Hakkai said and smiled that creepy smile that he gave to Gojyo that meant in no uncertain terms that if he pissed Sanzo off bad enough, he wasn't going to step in and help the kappa out. "Besides Sanzo's right, we need to find Goku."

"I never said we needed to find the walking stomach." Sanzo rebutted.

"Of course Sanzo, I didn't mean to imply that you did." Hakkai said in his soft, gentle, and slightly strained voice, the voice that Gojyo knew all to well. It meant that Hakkai was getting irritated, and the last thing they needed was a pissy Hakkai. "However we do need to find Goku."

"You're right. I hope for him that he hasn't run into Kou." Doku said as he lead the way back through the forest. Yaone following only a few steps behind and then Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo bringing up the rear.

* * *

The pain was intense, it threatened to cloud his mind and Goku knew that he just wouldn't be able to stand up to the onslaught much longer. His adrenaline had run out not to long ago, his broken ribs were making breathing hard and it greatly hindered his dodging ability.

'_When the hell did he get so fast.'_ His movements were slow and Goku felt as if he was moving in water, his limbs felt so heavy. He had just managed to evade a hard punch that would've sent him flying, however his foot came out from under him and sent him careening to the ground. His breathing was becoming more difficult by the moment and the fact that he hit hard right on his ribs didn't help.

Only one thought kept going through his head. This was not the same Kougaiji. Every move was almost mechanic, there was none of the passion and drive behind his offense that had been present in their earlier battles.

"Hey leave our monkey alone! I'm the only one allowed to beat him up!"

That voice...even in his pain clouded state he knew. The perverted kappa...oh man he was never gonna hear the end of this one if Gojyo was the one to save him.

_To be continued..._

* * *

I ended up not putting everything in this chapter that I wanted. I had a lot more of the manga to cover than I thought, (that's all done now) but the next chapter is the fight with the demon prince and the aftermath. And of course the beginnings of the Sanzo/Yaone goodness. It's going to be awhile before anything romantic happens though. I want to take at least 6 chapters building the foundation for this relationship. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Authoress' Notes:** Hello people. I'm so very sorry that it took so long to get this out. This chapter was started months ago but I just had to go and keep tweaking and re- tweaking. Then I had to go back to the manga and anime to get into a Sanzo frame of mind and well time just got away from me. And even though Sanzo doesn't have much to do or say in this chapter, I still feel he's not as IC as I would like him to be. Also I suck rocks at writing action, and this chapter is basically one whole action scene. At least Yaone gets to kick a little booty.

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter one.

_**Chapter two:**_

_**...Keep your Enemies Closer**_

Yaone looked down into enraged eyes, the vision clawed through her own eyes and into the inner workings of her brain. Like a virus it attached itself to all of her preconceived beliefs that this man would kill himself before hurting her; one by one her beliefs fell under the onslaught of his eyes.

_It wasn't supposed to happen like this...not this._ He was supposed to wake up, to see her and finally break through Nii's magic and become himself again. Her body went numb as the realization dawned on her that the man she loved was about to kill her.

"Let her go." She vaguely registered the voice as being Hakkai and she felt the impact, through Kouagaiji, of a powerful chi blast that could've only come from the healer. And still she could not tear her eyes from the prince, even as he unceremoniously dropped her to the ground. Kougaiji had barely been fazed by that blast, more stunned than anything else, but at least that squeezing pressure was gone. Her hand instantly flew to her neck, gently massaging the tender skin and the bruises that were sure to follow.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to hurt a woman." That was Gojyo, and she saw the chain from his weapon roughly wrap around Kougaiji. And yet her mind almost refused to register what had just happened. He would've killed her, to that there was no doubt in her mind, and the events of the last few moments played over and over again in her head.

She was in shock, she was coherent enough to realize that fact. Yet everything around her moved in slow motion. Her limbs felt heavy, as if she was moving them through water. Still all she could see was Kougaiji and the men now fighting for their lives, for hers ...

_When did he become this strong?_

...her lord now struggling in the bonds of Gojyo's chain.

_Is this only Nii's magic that developed this in him, this strength and anger..._

The red head now struggling himself to stay upright in the tug o' war match of wills a match Kougaiji would no doubt win.

_...or was it there all along and Nii just brought it out?_

How did things deteriorate to this point? It just didn't seem that bad when they located the two warriors. Goku had barely been standing. He had fallen to the ground soon after they arrived, with one raised hand that seemed as if he was tagging in his comrades for the remainder of the fight.

The Sanzo party had cornered Kougaiji. He was on the ground defenseless and wounded. Seeing him like that had spurred her to make the decision that she did. If that was the path Kougaiji had chosen then she would follow. So with Doku at her side they both went to protect their prince. Part of her was hoping that if he saw where their loyalties truly lie then he would snap himself out of this nightmare.

If only...

Instead he had turned on Dokugakuji sending him into the nearest tree.

"I told you not to interfere." He said in that monotone voice, however while his voice might not have held any emotion , his eyes sure did. Rage, pure unadulterated rage, it seemed to make him stronger than before, if such a thing was possible. He rose like a phoenix from the ashes, and she couldn't quell the swell of pride in him, in her lord, that shot through her like lightning. Then his eyes settled on her, and all of the blood drained from her body. She had never felt afraid or intimidated by her lord and even though he was undeniably angry with Gyokumen Koushu for blackmailing him with his mothers life, he had never let those he cared for see that darkness inside of him. Now it was as if a caged, bloodthirsty animal had been let loose. Now she was not just afraid, she was terrified.

It was then that he grabbed her roughly around her throat, he lifted her a good foot off the ground and she had to grab onto his strong, ramrod straight arm be keep from being hung. She felt his muscles strain only slightly under her hands as if she weighed nothing. His skin so slick from sweat that she threatened to lose her hold, and so hot that it burned her to hold on but her survival instincts told her that her lungs needed the air more.

Then the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. _He's going to kill me, the man I love is going to snap my neck like a twig. _

Now she was on the ground looking up at him as if he was something completely alien, her eyes wide and breathing still coming in ragged gulps. The rocks and sticks digging into her legs that were pulled underneath her body, but she couldn't feel them.

"Sonovabitch, the bastard's strong!" Gojyo strained with his weapon and tried not to get pulled down as the demon prince raged against the restraints of Gojyo's chain.

"Gojyo, please try to keep him still." Hakkai cried as he built up a massive chi blast.

"Why don't you try holding his ass still!" Gojyo's weapon began to bend as Kougaiji started winning the battle of tug o' war. "Hurry the fuck up Hakkai! I can't..."

The ominous creaking of stretching metal sounded as Kougaiji broke free of the chains that bound him. He moved as a blur through the clearing and before he knew it Gojyo found himself next to an unconscious Goku on the ground. He felt as if he had been hit by a mountain and his chest burned as he tried to recover his breath.

"Gojyo!" Hakkai yelled and before he knew it he had come face to face with the demon prince and then a hard kick to his gut that also sent him into the tree behind him. His head hit the trunk with a sickening thud as his monocle fell to the ground.

A gunshot rang out in the clearing that stopped Kougaiji in his tracks. All eyes turned to the blonde monk that stood not five feet from Goku and Gojyo. The demon prince turned around to his adversary and target.

Yaone finally pulled her eyes from Kougaiji and now they rested on Sanzo. The words that Sanzo had said rang through her mind,_ ' I kill whoever's in my way, that includes your boss'_. While everything he said was true and she had agreed with him at the time, she would not just sit back and let him kill Kougaiji. Not like this, not when he didn't even know what he was doing. He would not be put down like some rabid dog.

"Genjyo Sanzo, hand over the scripture." Kougaiji said as he methodically made his way to the monk.

"Why don't you come and take it?" Sanzo said haughtily. As he raised his gun and took aim.

* * *

Meanwhile Yaone crawled her way the few feet to Doku's side. She quickly checked his vitals and concluding that he was only knocked unconscious, she preceded to none too gently slapped his face to wake him up.

"Dokugakuji. Dokugakuji, wake up!" His head lulled to the side for a moment and then he slowly opened his eyes.

"...Yaone? Whats going on?" He asked groggily. His chest ached when he tried to breath and even the subtle shifting of his body as he awoke hurt like a son of a bitch.

Then he abruptly tensed as he caught sight of the spectacle ahead of him. Sanzo fired off another shot and Kougaiji quickly dodged and charged the monk. Sanzo slid to the right and then to the left rapidly dodging Kouagiji's punches.

"Hurry, I have an idea but I'm going to need your help. Can you stand?" Yaone asked. Drawing his attention back to her.

"Yeah..." Doku responded as Yaone helped him up. His muscles tensed as the pain in his chest erupted again and he let out a ragged breath. "Dam I forgot how hard he hits." He added almost as an afterthought.

* * *

_Shit he's almost as fast as berserker Goku ..._ Sanzo thought to himself. It was taking everything he had to avoid the raging the bastard. As hard as he looked he didn't see one opening in his defense. The fucker wasn't even slowing down.

Movement to his right caught his attention as he saw Yaone slide down next to Dokugakuji. He quickly turned his eyes back to Kouagaiji.

He had an idea those two were going to try to put a stop to this and they were using him as a decoy. That didn't sit right with him but right now he was the only one in any state to deal with this shit.

_Fuck! _He didn't dodge in time and Kouagiji's claws grazed his right side. Blood flowed warm and sticky freely down his robes.

* * *

"Are you sure Yaone? I mean..." Doku started, his mind was still a little foggy from the bump on the head and he wasn't sure he heard her right.

"And what about the alternative. When he comes to his senses he would never forgive himself. If he were to kill them in the state he's in now and ..." She refused to say what they both knew now to be a very distinct possibility that the Sanzo party may not be the only casualties of this fight.

Of course she was right, they both knew it. Lirin was missing and Gods only know what Nii and that bitch Koushu were doing to her. Someone had to survive this if only for her sake.

"Alright I'll help as much as I can, but one of us is going to have to head back to Houtu Castle soon or heads are going to roll...literally."

"I understand. Just buy me a few moments and maneuver him as close to the cliff as you can." In that one moment they knew they were going to do something they promised they would never do. They both stood up and she affectionately squeezed his arm. And like that she was gone running quietly into the forest.

"Alright, lets do this." Dokugakuji summoned his sword and readied himself for battle against not only his boss but his best friend.

He watched and waited for the moment he would be able to catch Kougaiji off guard. As the prince attacked mercilessly at the monks defenses, Doku noticed the slight, very slight slowing of the monks dodges. Right now Sanzo was up against a machine, a being that knew nothing of pain or fatigue. No matter how tough Sanzo was he was still only a human and he was starting to slow.

He saw his opening and took it. He charged and drove his shoulder as well as the hilt of his sword, with explosive force into his lord just as Kougaiji knocked Sanzo to the ground. The demon prince went flying and came down in a heap about six feet away from the spot of impact.

"Don't expect a thank you." Sanzo stood quickly and spat blood from his mouth to the ground. He scanned his surroundings and found Yaone missing. "Where's the apothecary?"

"Your welcome for saving your ass. She went to get some things, so just follow my lead and don't get in the way," Doku smirked.

"And here I thought you were the smart one in the family, but you sound like that bastard brother of yours." Sanzo shot back. The man looked more like Gojyo when he smirked, than Sanzo cared to think. Surely the gods wouldn't be that cruel ...no this was the gods he was thinking about. They would make two of that bastard just to annoy him.

" Kougaiji is your problem. You need to figure out a way to stop him." Sanzo quickly reloaded his gun as he watched Kougaiji get back up. The stupid bastard just didn't know when to quit.

"Sure he's my problem but it's _your _sutra he's after. Funny how that works." Doku shrugged. "Besides I'm just following orders, get him as close to the cliff as possible. Prepare, he's coming again."

Before Sanzo could ask whose orders the demon prince charged again, this time he was favoring his right arm as the blow from Dokugakuji most likely dislocated it. Even though it hung like a wet fish attached to his shoulder, it didn't seem to impede him at all.

_Fuck, why do I always get stuck with it..._ Sanzo thought.

* * *

Yaone meanwhile had gone into stealth mode her feet not making a sound as she quickly made her way through the underbrush. One part of her brain, the intellectual part kept an eye out for the flower she needed, the other more emotional part of her brain just kept repeating that she was right; praying that she was right.

_You have no other choice at the moment Yaone, so suck it up. Hurry up and find that flower._

Finally she spotted small purple petals pushing their way through a sea of dense foliage. She grabbed it cutting her hands on the thorns of the stem. That slight pain cleared her mind just a little and she thanked the gods for it and she moved with a renewed vigor as she opened the pouch at her side.

"I'm coming Lord Kougaiji, just please forgive me for what I have to do." She whispered a prayer on the wind, her nimble fingers quickly and carefully extracting the pollen from the small flower. Purple petals fluttered to the ground along with one crimson drop of her blood.

* * *

Sanzo watched Kougaiji closely, the more the demon prince moved the less his arm seemed to hamper him. He even used it to block one of Dokugakuji punches.

_He shouldn't even have mobility in that arm. _Sanzo thought. It was getting harder and harder to dodge, and as much as Sanzo didn't want to admit it, he was starting to slow down while Kougaiji only seemed to be gaining more stamina.

A high pitched whistle interrupted his thoughts. Catching eyes with Dokugakuji. The demon signaled to the monk to cover his mouth and fall back. So this had to be what the woman was up to.

Soon a thick dense fog covered the surrounding area. He could feel the edges of the fog drift over his skin and almost immediately he started to burn. He jumped back as if branded by fire and went to stand by Goku and Gojyo, out of harms way.

* * *

Eyes closed Yaone drew on her earliest lessons and she moved quickly and efficiently through the gas. Even with her advanced breathing training she figured thatshe had only had two minutes at the most to accomplish her goal. She summoned her spear and felt her way through the fog using her other senses. Heard heavy footsteps, smelling her lords distinct sulfur like smell. In her estimation Kougaiji must have been about ten feet from the edge.

She intentionally made her footsteps heavy so that she could be heard in the fog. She only had a little less than a minute now, and thirty seconds before her movements would begin to become sluggish. Acute demon ears picked on Kougaiji's movements and she literally felt the rumble of the ground under her feet as he readied his attack. He was fast, a little faster than she had anticipated, but the fog obviously affected him slightly and she was able to strike before he reached her. She struck quickly at his lower legs with her spear, she felt the nonresistance of clear space and the lack of impact and heard his jump backward, toward the cliffs edge. As he jumped back she kicked him squarely in the chest.

She opened her eyes in that moment and the image of her lord falling backward would be an image that would haunt her dreams. Half of her roared in protest, to do _something_. The other half knew that for the moment she was doing the right thing.

Intellectually she knew it only took seconds to fall, but to her it happened in excruciatingly slow motion . His hair created a sort of hellish looking halo around his body and she felt the impact deep in her heart. Water splashed up and engulfed him as the surge of the river carried him downstream.

_Lord Kougaiji, what have I done?_

_**To be continued...**_


End file.
